Pineapple Motifs

Pineapple Motifs

In early-18th-century America, if you wanted to make a big impression on guests, you might have served them pineapple. Back then the sweet fruit with the prickly appearance was a rare treat; few specimens made the voyage along the West Indian trade route to the Colonies without spoiling. Procuring such an exotic delicacy signified wealth, worldliness, and good taste, and serving it made guests feel like VIPs. But early Americans weren't just fond of the fruit as a status symbol, they also loved its shape. Ornaments with its likeness became a fashionable architectural element for garden walkways and doorways. Soon pineapples sprouted up on everything from ceramics to needlepoint. By the mid-20th century, the fruit's image had become synonymous with hospitality and graciousness.

Pineapple Motifs

In early-18th-century America, if you wanted to make a big impression on guests, you might have served them pineapple. Back then the sweet fruit with the prickly appearance was a rare treat; few specimens made the voyage along the West Indian trade route to the Colonies without spoiling. Procuring such an exotic delicacy signified wealth, worldliness, and good taste, and serving it made guests feel like VIPs. But early Americans weren't just fond of the fruit as a status symbol, they also loved its shape. Ornaments with its likeness became a fashionable architectural element for garden walkways and doorways. Soon pineapples sprouted up on everything from ceramics to needlepoint. By the mid-20th century, the fruit's image had become synonymous with hospitality and graciousness.